Key Lime Chiffon Pie

Key Lime Chiffon Pie
By: Williams Sonoma

Low in Fat

For the crust:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, made from reduced-fat cookies (about 12 whole graham crackers)
½ teaspoon ground ginger
Kosher salt
1 Tablespoon canola oil
2 Tablespoons nonfat milk

For the filling:
½ cup Key Lime Juice
1 Tablespoon unflavored gelatin (1 package)
¾ cup sugar
3 large egg yolks, beaten
Grated zest of 2 limes (about 1 ½ Tablespoons)
¼ cup nonfat condensed milk
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
Kosher salt

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, ginger and a pinch of salt. Add the canola oil and milk. Starting with a fork, and then using your fingers, work the liquid into the crumbs until the mixture resembles fluffy, moist sand, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixture into a 9 inch pie pan. Using your fingers, press the crust mixture firmly and evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

Bake the pie crust until it is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

To make the filling, pour the lime juice into a small, heavy, nonreactive saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the juice and set aside until the gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup sugar, the egg yolks, and 1 Tablespoon of the zest. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a light cream soup and starts to steam, 4-5 minutes. To test if it has thickened sufficiently, dip a spoon into the mixture and then run your finger down the middle of the back of it; your finger should leave a clear path that does not flow back onto itself. Do not let the mixture boil.

Immediately pour the gelatin mixture into a nonreactive metal or heatproof glass bowl. Mix in the condensed milk, then cover and refrigerate the mixture, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula to prevent it from congealing around the sides of the bowl, until it is the consistency of mayonnaise, 15-20 minutes.

In a bowl, using a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until very frothy, about 1 minute. Add a pinch of salt and continue beating until soft peaks form, 2-3 minutes. Increase the speed to high and begin gradually adding the remaining ½ cup sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time, always beating for about 10 seconds to dissolve the addition before adding the next Tablespoon. When all of the sugar has been added, continue to beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks, about 2 minutes longer.

Using the rubber spatula, gently stir one-fourth of the whites into the gelatin mixture. Pour over the beaten whites and fold gently until no streaks of white remain. Spread the filling in the cooled pie crust and smooth and level the top with the spatula. Sprinkle the remaining grated lime zest over the surface. Refrigerate the pie until the filling sets, 1-2 hours. Chiffon pie is best served the day it is made.

Makes one 9 inch pie, or about 8 servings